Endless Summer

Twist and Shout Lacecap Hydrangeas

Don’t forget we have Hydra Blue to turn Pink Macrophylla Hydrangeas to blue color! For some Hydrangeas that consistently perform summer after summer and are easy to grow…try Paniculata Hydrangeas like Pinky Winky or Quickfire….sure to bloom their heads off in your landscape!

Quickfire Hydrangea

Your next approach should be to decide which direction the container will be viewed from….all sides or is the container up against a wall? Take the approach of thinking “Thriller….Filler….Spiller” planting from the center out or from the back to the front. Grasses are great as “thrillers” because they provide long linear lines for the center or back of the pot or as in the case with this picture a Palm plant is used. Next once the “fillers” and the “spillers” or trailing plants are selected you can let them duke it out “Darwinian” style as the season progresses.

All great containers in my opinion have 4 things in common……

• Good quality potting soil and enough of it to allow roots to grow
• Good feeding….a combination of slow release and water soluble fertilizer
• Thrillers, Fillers and Spillers
• Proper drainage

Texture and varying leaf structure is important so the eye has a variety of “stop off points” to focus as opposed to viewing the container as a whole.

Print up a color wheel from the internet (Google “color wheel”) and put some great color combinations together. Consider a planter with Triad colors….3 colors equidistant on the color wheel…Red-Yellow-Blue or Violet-Orange-Green.

Another great approach is complementary colors…colors opposite from each other on the color wheel like violet and yellow.

Monochromatic schemes allow you to plant all of the same color but in different shades.

I like to use Pink in my plantings because pink is a color that plays well with just about any other color…from burgundy to orange and blue….pink seems to enhance almost any color. A rule of thumb is to use hot bright colors for pots viewed from a distance and to use cool colors for pots in “relaxing” areas. White is a great color for entertaining areas because it shows off great after sunset.

If you can’t make up your mind…take a Polychromatic approach and mix it up with a flurry of colors!

Getting Started to Start Seeds!

Its that time of year again! Start planning out your garden, and learn the basics of seed starting!

Planting seeds:

Water your medium well before planting. Make sure you follow depth instructions on your seed packets. Use a pencil point to make the holes. After planting, cover with humidity dome immediately.

Remember seeds aren't just for vegetables. We have seeds for perennials too!

Light:

The most ideal conditions for growing seeds is by using a fluorescent grow lamp.  Use a cool white 40-watt bulb, or specially designed grow lights. Seedlings should get 12–14 hours of light a day. Bulbs should hang no more than 3 inches from the top of the seedlings. Do not put under lights or sunlight until cotyledons (baby leaves)  have been out of soil for at least 1 day. This may burn the tender tissues of your new seedling.

There are lots of different sizes of bulbs to choose from. Have someone help you find the best bulb fit for your set-up!

If you do not have room for a grow lamp, then the next best place is a  window that gets bright warm light. Use a humidity dome to protect the plants a night from drafts and of-course keep the humidity in! If it is a really bright warm day simply take one corner off to help ventilation for a few hours, or move the plants out of the heat. Plants will get long and spindly if they have too much heat in relation to light.

Water:

Never let your seeds dry out, and never drown them in too much water. Soil should be moist to the touch. Water in the morning, not the evening. If your water contains chlorine, let it stand overnight before using.  You may want to use a water mister to avoid over-watering.

Use a humidity dome to help keep soil medium moist. Never let the medium dry out!

Soil:

Ideal soil temperature is around 70 degrees, but many plants will germinate at lower temperatures.  Heat mats are available if you have drafts. Use sterilized soil only for starting seeds, otherwise you could encounter problems such as damping off and other fungus which kill seedlings.

Flowerland offers pre-filled flats and humidity domes for easy seed starting!

Feeding:

If your seedlings remain in the soil-less growing  medium, you’ll need to start feeding them, because it has a total lack of nutrients. Wait until they have developed their second set of true leaves.  Feed at 1/2 strength twice weekly for 3 to 4 weeks, then  full strength every 10-12  days.

When do I start what?

Now’s the time to start small-seeded annuals from seed. These include begonias, petunias, lantana, vinka, periwinkle, carnations, double snapdragons, and coleus!

There are plenty of different containers to start seeds in. If you choose peat pots, you can plant the whole container at the time of transplanting.

Other plants to start now include celery, leeks and onions. These plants take a long time to produce, so starting them a little early does not hurt! Keep in mind when looking at seed packets that our last frost danger date in Michigan is usually around May 20th.

Here is a general timeline of when to start other vegetable,  herb and flower seeds:

Feb 21-27th: Brussel Sprouts; Salvia and Datura

Feb 28-March 6:  Artichokes and Cauliflower (transplant out four weeks before the last frost date)

March 7-13th: Celeriac and lemongrass; Cosmos, Dahlias, Impatiens, Lobelia

March 14-20th: Broccoli, Cabbage and Kohlrabi (transplant out four weeks before the last frost date); Ageratum, Alyssum, Asters, Phlox

March 21-27th: Eggplant, Tomatoes, Chilis, Sweet Peppers, Chives, Sage, Stevia and Thyme; Morning Glory, Celosia, Huchera, and  Coreopsis

April 4-April 10:  Asparagus, Fennel,  Rhubarb, Shallots, Tomatillos and Basil; Marigolds, Portulaca, Zinnias, Nepeta Catmint, Euphorbia, Forget-Me-Nots, Single snapdragons

April 18-24: Melons, Cucumbers, Squashes

Getting them ready to plant:

You will need to ” toughen up” your seeds before planting. Outside is a harsh environment with drastic climate changes through the day. Two weeks before their plant date, reduce the amount of water you have been giving them. Also stop feeding them.

One week before the big move start setting your flats outside in a shaded area for half of the day. Do not set in the sun-they will cook! Partially remove your dome for air flow. As the week moves on, leave out longer each day and if possible slightly increase sun exposure. This is called hardening off-making your plants more sun and temperature resistant. Gradually, they can stay out over-night.  Make sure to bring you seedling in if there are freezing temperatures overnight!

Flowerland has a vegetable planting timeline. Pick this handy guide up when you stop in for supplies!

Before and after planting water your plants well!

Happy Germinating!